Sea Otters
by Lokiismylife
Summary: Set right after the fight in Episode 19. Ichigo finds an orphaned baby sea otter that seems strangely attached to her.


**Sea Otters**

Ichigo was walking on the beach after the battle with Pai and Taruto and their Chimera Animas. The sea had calmed down and the sun was out now. Suddenly she heard a small squeaking sound from a tide pool, and went over to investigate.

She found a little sea otter in the pool, trying to get out of the pool. "Hey little guy," she said softly. The otter squeaked and looked up at her, and she smiled. "I'm not going to hurt you," she said softly. "Do you need help getting out of the pool?"

The sea otter tilted his head curiously, looking at her. She gently reached down and picked the little otter up, then set him down on the sand. He made a sad noise when she let go, and she knelt next to him. "Where's your mom, little guy?" she asked. The otter looked at her sadly. "You don't have a mom?" Ichigo asked. The otter let out a little wail, and Ichigo asked, "Would you like to meet my friends? They might have ideas for where you should live."

The otter perked up, and Ichigo giggled, then picked him up gently, cradling him in her arms. Then she started walking back to her friends, who were eating lunch. They looked up as she came over, and Ryou sighed. "Ichigo, do I even want to know what you're carrying?" he asked wearily.

"An orphaned baby sea otter," Ichigo said. "I found him stuck in a tide pool, and he wanted out, so I put him on the beach, but he didn't like it when I tried to let him go."

Ryou groaned. "What are you going to do with a baby sea otter?" he asked.

"There's no wildlife rescue places nearby?" Ichigo asked.

Before Ryou could respond, Lettuce said, "Something's not right; sea otters don't usually come onto the beach; they stay in the water. They even sleep in the water. What would a sea otter be doing in a tide pool?"

"That's a good point," Ryou said. "But there was just a big storm; maybe he got washed ashore by accident?"

"Whatever the reason, we still need to find a home for him," Ichigo said. She looked down as the otter snuggled against her.

"Ichigo-oneechan could take him home, na no da," Pudding suggested.

"I don't think that would work too well; where would I put him?" Ichigo asked. "I don't have anything big enough for an otter- except the bathtub. And isn't he a saltwater animal?"

"Yes," Lettuce said. "I guess we'd better find a wildlife rescue center; it's not a good idea to just leave a baby otter on the beach; he'll get eaten."

The otter squeaked, alarmed. "Can he understand us?" Ryou asked.

"I think so," Ichigo said. "I thought maybe it was because we're all half-animal. Well, except for Keiichiro."

"That- or that's not really an otter," Ryou said.

"What else would he be?" Ichigo asked, puzzled.

"An alien," Ryou said calmly.

"I think you're paranoid," Ichigo said.

"But remember, Kisshu wasn't in that battle," Zakuro pointed out. "And the otter is really attached to you, like Kisshu is."

"That all makes sense, but why would Kisshu turn into an otter?" Ichigo asked.

"Does it matter?" Ryou asked. "Now we've got one of the aliens; we can learn their plans."

"Do you speak otter?" Ichigo asked dryly. "If you want plans, you're going to have to find out how to turn Kisshu back into an alien- unless he knows how to turn himself back." Ichigo looked at the otter, who shook his head. "Looks like you're going to have to change him back, Ryou," she said.

"Can't we just kill him and be done with it?" Ryou asked plaintively.

The girls looked at him like he was nuts. "What?" Ryou asked defensively. "That's the point of this mission."

"I thought the point was to stop the aliens from taking over Earth," Zakuro said, her eyes narrowing. "You didn't mention anything about killing them."

"I don't think I'm capable of killing someone," Lettuce said timidly.

"Same here," Ichigo said.

"Pudding doesn't want to kill anyone, na no da," Pudding said.

"You really should have hired assassins or something if you wanted the aliens dead," Zakuro commented. "We're all WAY too young to be killing people."

"How else can we stop them?" Ryou asked.

"We'll think of something," Zakuro said. "Something that does NOT involve killing defenseless little otters."

"Oh, fine," Ryou said grouchily. "I guess we should go pack up…."

"We're leaving early, na no da?" Pudding asked.

"Well, my lab isn't anywhere near here, and if we're turning Kisshu back into an alien, I need my lab for that," Ryou explained. "Oh, and he'll be staying at your house, Ichigo."

"If that's the case, I'm going to have to tell my parents the truth, or they'll try to take Kisshu to the zoo," Ichigo said. "Oh well, I wanted to tell them anyways."

"You're positive they won't tell?" Ryou asked.

"Yep," Ichigo said. "Besides, my school friends will beat them up if they do. They guessed after seeing me on TV."

"Who ELSE knows?" Ryou asked wearily.

"No one," Ichigo said. "Moe and Miwa know everything about me, it wasn't hard for them to guess."

"Does Aoyama know?" Ryou asked.

"No," Ichigo said.

"Good, he's a creep," Ryou said.

"What makes you say that?" Ichigo asked.

"He's cheating on you with a tree," Ryou said. Everyone gave him odd looks, and he continued, "I saw him screwing a tree; I think the obsession he has with the environment drove him insane."

"Are you sure about this?" Ichigo asked. "Or is this another plot to get me to like you?"

"Both," Ryou said. "I do want you to be my girlfriend, but I really did see him screwing a tree. Jeez was that creepy."

"Being your girlfriend would be equally creepy," Ichigo said dryly. "Especially seeing as I don't particularly like you."

Ryou drooped, and Keiichiro said, "I warned you that bullying her wouldn't pay off in the long run."

Ryou was sulking and didn't respond. Keiichiro sighed and said, "You girls should go pack up; we should get back so Ryou can figure out how to change Kisshu back."

The girls sighed and went back to the beach house. When Ichigo reached her room, she gently set Kisshu down on the bed, and started packing her stuff. Realizing she was still in a bathing suit, she went to the bathroom and changed. It wasn't until she was done that she noticed Kisshu had followed her into the bathroom, and she squeaked, her face turning bright red. "Everything okay in there?" Zakuro's voice called.

"Yeah…. Kisshu just has no respect for others' privacy," Ichigo said gloomily. She picked Kisshu back up and left the bathroom, finding Zakuro waiting outside to change. "I assume Kisshu followed you into the bathroom?" she asked.

"Apparently," Ichigo said, glaring at the little otter, who shrank a little under her glare. She sighed and said, "I'll go finish packing."

"Make sure Kisshu doesn't leave the room," Zakuro said. "If I catch him spying on ME, I'm going to step on him."

"I'll close the door," Ichigo said. She carried Kisshu back to her room, closed the door, and set him down on the bed again. She packed up her swimsuit, and picked up her bag, then said, "Kisshu, I need you to sit on my shoulder, okay? I can't carry my bag and you at the same time."

Kisshu squeaked, and Ichigo gently put him on her shoulder, then got her bag and left the room. She met the others in front of the beach house, and Ryou immediately asked, "Why is Kisshu sitting on your shoulder?"

"I can't carry him and my bag at the same time," Ichigo said. "Are we going?"

"Yes, just put your bag in the van," Keiichiro said.

Ichigo did so, then got in as the others did. She gently took Kisshu off her shoulder after buckling her seatbelt, and settled him in her lap. Keiichiro started up the van, and Kisshu squeaked, alarmed. "It's just the van starting up," Ichigo told him softly.

"He's probably never been in a car or van before," Lettuce commented as Keiichiro started driving.

Ichigo gently picked Kisshu up, and cradled him in her arms, then started rocking him a little. He slowly started to calm down, and after a while, he was asleep, curled up against her.

"That's so cute…." Lettuce said softly.

"Don't get too attached," Ryou said from the front seat. "As soon as he's back to normal, you're enemies again."

"I don't like being enemies…." Ichigo sighed.

"Well, do you have a better idea?" Ryou asked.

"I do," Lettuce said. "We know that the aliens' planet is dying, right?"

"Yeah…." Ryou said.

"Why don't we ask them if we can use our powers to save it?" Lettuce asked. "There must be something we can do, and then they wouldn't need Earth."

Ryou sighed and said, "I'll look into that, but if there isn't a way to do that, then we're back to fighting, got it?"

"Yup," Lettuce said.

"Hey Ryou?" Ichigo asked.

"What?" Ryou asked warily.

"You're coming to explain this whole thing to my parents, right?" Ichigo asked.

"Do I have to?" Ryou moaned.

"Yes, because otherwise my dad will hunt you down, and my mom won't be there to stop him from murdering you," Ichigo said.

Ryou groaned and said, "Am I going to be safer if your mother is there?"

"Yes," Ichigo said. "By the way, what do otters eat?"

"Shellfish," Lettuce said. "And regular fish."

"Even though he's a baby otter?" Ichigo asked.

"Try it, and if he's too young to eat that, I'm sure Ryou can get some otter baby formula," Lettuce said.

"Alright," Ichigo said.

The rest of the ride was quiet, and soon they were back at Café Mew Mew.

"Come on, Ichigo, let's get this over with," Ryou said, and led the way to his car. Ichigo put her bag in the backseat, and got in front, settling Kisshu on her lap again. Ryou sighed and started the car, then drove to Ichigo's house.

When they pulled into the driveway, Ichigo picked up Kisshu and put him on her shoulder again, then got out and got her bag. Noticing Ryou wasn't getting out, she opened the driver's side door, and said, "Get out of the car, Ryou. It's not going to be that bad."

"It's coming out of your paycheck if he kills me," Ryou commented.

Ichigo blinked. "That doesn't make sense," she said as Ryou reluctantly got out of the car. "How can you dock my paycheck if you're dead?"

"Never mind," Ryou grumbled, and followed Ichigo to the door. Ichigo went in, and called, "I'm home!"

"We're in the living room," Sakura called back.

Ichigo took off her shoes, and Ryou did the same, then they went to the living room. Shintaro and Sakura looked up, and Shintaro immediately asked, "What is HE doing here, Ichigo?"

"Ryou has major explaining to do," Ichigo said brightly.

"What did he do?" Sakura asked, puzzled.

"He turned me into Mew Ichigo," Ichigo said.

Shintaro immediately got a menacing death aura and asked dangerously, "Care to explain why you'd do that to MY daughter?"

"The DNA I used was attracted to her; it just happened that Ichigo was the only one compatible with Iriomote Wildcat DNA," Ryou said nervously.

"Is that why she works at your Café?" Sakura asked.

"Yes, the Café is a cover- but it's also to make money for the Mew Project," Ryou said.

"And what's up with the aliens?" Shintaro asked.

"They need a new home, because their planet is dying," Ichigo said. "And that's the next part of the explanation."

"What are you holding?" Sakura asked.

"Kisshu, one of the aliens, somehow got turned into a baby otter, and I'm his caretaker until Ryou figures out how to turn him back," Ichigo said. "He's also head over heels in love with me for some reason, so don't worry, he won't hurt me- at least not while he's an otter."

"If you're enemies, why is he in love with you?" Sakura asked.

"Beats me," Ichigo said. "Anyways, Kisshu will be staying here until Ryou figures out how to turn him back, so he'd better get on that."

"Yeah, I think I'll go start that…." Ryou said, and ran for it, nervous about Shintaro glaring at him.

Sakura sighed and asked, "Ichigo, why didn't you tell us?"

"The less you knew, the safer you'd be," Ichigo said.

"And where are we going to put the otter?" Shintaro asked.

"My room," Ichigo said. Kisshu squeaked excitedly, and Ichigo smiled. "You like that idea?" she asked. Kisshu nodded, snuggling against her.

"He's so cute," Sakura said. "Are you going to start dating him when he's back to normal?"

"Uh…" Ichigo said. "Maybe? Ryou claims Aoyama screws trees; I might stop going out with him if that's true."

"Why not ask Moe and or Miwa?" Sakura suggested.

"Good idea, I'll call Miwa," Ichigo said. She gently set Kisshu down on the floor, and took her cell phone out of her bag. Then she dialed Miwa's number, and waited. When Miwa picked up, she immediately said, _"Ichigo, I've been trying to get in touch with you!"_

"Why?" Ichigo asked, puzzled.

"_Moe saw Aoyama screwing a TREE!" _Miwa said. _"I think she's scarred for life- but you should steer clear of him; it's obvious he's some kind of psycho."_

"That's pretty much what Ryou said," Ichigo said. "I guess he saw that too. I guess you're right."

"_So does this mean you're going to fall for Kisshu instead?" _Miwa asked slyly.

"Maybe…. but he somehow got turned into a baby sea otter, so it's going to have to wait," Ichigo said. "He's seriously cute, though."

"_I'm getting Moe and coming over!" _Miwa said excitedly, and hung up before Ichigo could say another word.

"Well, looks like Moe and Miwa are coming over to meet Kisshu," Ichigo said.

"Alright," Sakura said. "What did Miwa say about Aoyama?"

"Moe apparently also saw Aoyama screwing a tree," Ichigo said. "There goes that…. and she thinks I should start dating Kisshu. Maybe she's right…."

Kisshu squeaked happily and rubbed his head against her chest affectionately. "I think he likes that idea," Sakura said. "Why don't you go put him and your bag in your room?"

"Okay," Ichigo said. She picked her bag up, and went upstairs, Kisshu on her shoulder again. Setting the bag down in a corner, she then set Kisshu down on her bed. She sat next to him, and he climbed onto her lap, settling down. She smiled and petted him, causing him to make a purring noise. Ichigo nearly squealed with delight.

A while later, the doorbell rang, startling them both. Ichigo picked up Kisshu and went downstairs, reaching the front door as her mother opened it. "Hi girls," Sakura said. "Come on in."

"Thanks Mrs. Momomiya," Moe said. They came in and took off their shoes, then noticed Ichigo. "How was the beach?" Moe asked.

"It was good- except for when Pai and Taruto showed up," Ichigo said. "Should we go to my room?"

"Sure," Miwa said. "Oh, and we brought some fish for Kisshu."

Kisshu squeaked, and Moe squealed, "He's so KAWAII!"

"I think so too," Ichigo said. "Come on, let's go to my room."

Moe and Miwa followed her upstairs to her room, and watched as she set Kisshu down on the bed. "He is seriously cute," Miwa said. "Do you think he's hungry?"

Kisshu squeaked, and Ichigo said, "I'd say so."

Miwa unwrapped a package she had been carrying, and set it on the floor. It was a piece of raw fish, and she said, "I wasn't sure if he could eat solid food, but I thought I'd bring this anyways."

"Thanks," Ichigo said. She gently set Kisshu down on the floor next to the fish, and he sniffed it cautiously, then took a small bite. The girls watched him perk up, and start eating. "Don't eat too fast, Kisshu," Ichigo said gently. Kisshu gave her an indignant look, and she giggled. "I'm actually going to be sorry when he has to change back," she said. "He's so cute and cuddly."

"Maybe you can get a kitten instead," Moe suggested.

"Yeah, but part of it is that we'll most likely have to go back to the way things were before he got turned into an otter," Ichigo said. She looked down as Kisshu climbed onto her lap, and watched as he settled down. She gently petted him, and he made the purring noise from before, then fell asleep.

Soon after Kisshu fell asleep, the girls saw the air begin to ripple, and Pai appeared, looking less than happy. "Where is Kisshu?" he asked.

"Are you going to hurt him if I tell you?" Ichigo asked.

"No, what would give you that idea?" Pai asked, confused.

"The look on your face, that's what," Ichigo said. "You wouldn't happen to know why Kisshu turned into a baby otter, would you?"

"Uh…. I kind of got mad at him and turned him into a sea otter, and left him on the beach," Pai said uncomfortably. "I came to change him back."

Ichigo sighed. "Fine, but I'm coming along to make sure you don't turn him into something else or hurt him," she said. She got up, cradling Kisshu in her arms, and looked at Moe and Miwa. "I'll be fine," she told them. "We can hang out another time, okay?"

"Fine, but if he does anything to you, we'll be paying him a 'visit'," Moe said.

"I'm sure you will," Ichigo said dryly. She looked at Pai, who sighed, took her shoulder, and teleported.

They landed in what looked like a lab, and Pai sighed, then went over to a counter and picked up a syringe. He came over to Ichigo and Kisshu and said, "Kisshu, hold your leg out."

Kisshu obeyed, squeezing his eyes shut as Pai stuck the syringe into his leg and pushed a yellow serum into his bloodstream. Kisshu started to glow, and when the serum was gone, Pai took the needle out, and said, "Mew Ichigo, put him down."

Ichigo gently set Kisshu down on the floor as he started to change back. Suddenly there was a loud POOF, and Kisshu was surrounded by smoke. When it cleared, he was back to normal, and he asked, "Seriously, Pai, did you have to? All I did was suggest you should ask the fish Mew out."

"THAT was your only reason for turning Kisshu into a baby otter and abandoning him?" Ichigo asked incredulously before Pai could respond.

"Mmph," Pai said.

"Pai has no common sense," Kisshu said. "By the way, Koneko-chan, now that I can talk, I'd just like to say that you're extremely hot."

Ichigo whacked him over the head. "You only tell me this after you snuck into the bathroom to watch me changing?" she asked. "I think I liked you better when you were an otter…."

Kisshu's ears drooped, and he sighed. Ichigo giggled and hugged him. "I take it back, you're cute either way," she said. "But no more watching me changing, got it?"

"Oh, fine," Kisshu said sulkily.

"Kisshu, WHY did you watch her changing?" Pai asked. "Do you have ANY respect for others' privacy?"

"It was nice," Kisshu said. "And it's the only time I'll get to see her naked…."

"You are seriously disturbed," Pai said. "Do I need to put you under house arrest again?"

"NO!" Kisshu shouted. "I HATE house arrest!"

"Then I'd suggest not being so disturbed, or you will be under house arrest," Pai said calmly. "Or I could turn you into something else."

"You're so uptight, Pai," Kisshu said. "By the way, Koneko-chan and Fishy said they hate fighting, and Fishy said something about using the Mews' powers to restore Cyniclonia."

Pai sighed. "And did the blonde guy agree?" he asked.

"Ryou said he'd look into it, but if there's no way to make it work, then he'd make us go back to fighting," Ichigo said. "I don't like fighting Kisshu…."

"Why?" Pai asked.

"Because he's too cute," Ichigo said. "And I want him to be my boyfriend, and he made a very nice pet otter- except for watching me change."

"Mew Zakuro threatened to step on me," Kisshu grumbled. "I don't LIKE being that small."

"But you were ADORABLE!" Ichigo said. "And cuddly, too."

"I think I'll be under my bed until the feeling of embarrassment goes away," Kisshu said gloomily.

"You seemed to like it when I held you," Ichigo commented.

Kisshu turned so red it probably wasn't healthy, and then POOF! he was an otter again. Pai looked at Kisshu, who glared back, and said, "Interesting…. Strong emotions like embarrassment seem to turn him into an otter again."

Kisshu walked over to Pai and sank his teeth into Pai's foot. "OW! DAMMIT KISSHU, THAT HURTS!" Pai yelled.

Ichigo giggled, and Pai glared at her, just as music started playing from her pocket. She sighed and took out her cell phone, then picked up and asked, "What is it, Ryou?"

"_Where are you?" _Ryou asked.

"The aliens' ship, I came along to make sure Pai didn't do anything ELSE to Kisshu while changing him back," Ichigo said. "Why?"

"_I figured out how to change Kisshu back in a different way," _Ryou said. _"Actually, it'll work on anyone who's part animal. So keep this in mind if you ever turn into a kitten, okay?"_

"Alright, what is it?" Ichigo asked.

"_You have to kiss something from Earth, but it doesn't matter whether it's an animal or a human," _Ryou said. _"So if you get turned into a kitten, just find an animal to kiss- or come to the Café and I can do it."_

"Yeah, if that happens, I'll be finding an animal; there is no WAY I'm kissing you, especially since I asked Kisshu to be my boyfriend," Ichigo said. "Thanks for the info; I embarrassed Kisshu, and that caused him to turn back into an otter. And I should go get him back to normal, since he's biting Pai's foot. Ja ne." Not waiting for an answer, she hung up, and went over to Pai and Kisshu. Kisshu was still biting Pai's foot, and Pai was trying unsuccessfully to get him off. "What did Ryou have to say?" Pai asked.

"Apparently if Kisshu gets kissed from something from Earth, he'll turn back into an alien," Ichigo said. She gently picked Kisshu up, dislodging his teeth from Pai's foot in the process, and kissed him. He started to glow, but before Ichigo could put him down, he POOFED back to normal. The result was Kisshu landing on top of Ichigo as they both fell to the floor. "Jeez Kisshu, for someone so skinny, you're HEAVY," Ichigo said.

"Mmph," Kisshu said, getting off of her reluctantly. "Thanks for turning me back."

"Sure," Ichigo said. "I should probably get home, though."

"Aww…." Kisshu said. "Can't we have a sleepover?"

"My dad will have a fit if I have a sleepover with all boys," Ichigo commented. "Why don't you spend the night in our guest room? You can have dinner with us too."

"Okay," Kisshu said happily. He took her hand and teleported off, leaving Pai to do something about his bleeding foot.

They landed in her room, and Ichigo pulled Kisshu downstairs. Hearing her parents in the living room, she and Kisshu went in to find Shintaro moaning about boys being scum from hell, and Sakura trying to get his attention. "Hi Mom, hi Dad," Ichigo said. "Kisshu's not an otter anymore."

"Good, that means I can challenge him to a kendo match, right?" Shintaro asked.

"NO, it does not mean that," Sakura said sternly. She looked at Kisshu and asked, "Would you like to stay for dinner, Kisshu?"

"If it's okay," Kisshu said. "Koneko-chan wants me to spend the night, too."

"It's fine if you'd like to stay for dinner, and you can stay the night, but in the guest room," Sakura said. "I was about to go start dinner. Shintaro, if I find you terrorizing Kisshu, you WILL be sleeping in the garage tonight."

"Yes ma'am," Shintaro said gloomily. Kisshu and Ichigo barely kept from snickering as Sakura left.

"Come on Kisshu, let's go to my room," Ichigo said.

"Okay!" Kisshu said happily. Ichigo took his hand and pulled him upstairs to her room, leaving Shintaro to sulk. After Ichigo closed the door, Kisshu asked, "Can we cuddle?"

"As long as it doesn't involve anything besides hugging," Ichigo said.

"Okay!" Kisshu said happily, and glomped her. They fell onto the bed, and cuddled, giggling, till Sakura called them for dinner.

**Okay, this probably won't be continued, but you never know with me. I hope you all will review and tell me what you thought of Otter Kisshu!**


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